Nathan Chen | Page 984 | Golden Skate

Nathan Chen

This is way late but since I haven’t seen anyone here mention it in comments about Nathan’s amazing Worlds FS, can I say that I really like the exit of the spin before the step sequence? The last spin before he enters the meditative middle section--the way it’s paced, especially the way he exits... it really goes well with the music.

I have seen some comments that the SP fall was the best thing for him. I even saw one saying (jokingly?) that he should fall in the SP if it means he’ll skate the FS like in Stockholm. :ROFLMAO: No one will ever intentionally flub a short program, lol, but dare we hope Nathan has sort of reached a point now where he can call up that feeling (of skating just for the love of skating and not for medals) whenever he wants? Even when he is leading after the SP?

ETA That's probably way too optimistic, and I doubt he wants to practice coming back from a deficit after the SP. lol. Still hope he can stay healthy and have a performance like that at Olympics in the FS after a decent SP this time... *fingers crossed*
 
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Gilligan said:
This is way late but since I haven’t seen anyone here mention it in comments about Nathan’s amazing Worlds FS, can I say that I really like the exit of the spin before the step sequence? The last spin before he enters the meditative middle section--the way it’s paced, especially the way he exits... it really goes well with the music.
Click to expand...
Actually it's mentioned in this beautiful musical analysis of Nathan's FS (it's in Russian but google translate works well enough). The author describes the arrangement of his spins as if a camera zooms into focus, with the exit from the second spin being in absolute unity with the music.

Gilligan said:
No one will ever intentionally flub a short program, lol, but dare we hope Nathan has sort of reached a point now where he can call up that feeling (of skating just for the love of skating and not for medals) whenever he wants? Even when he is leading after the SP?
Click to expand...
I think we have a glimpse of that at GPF 2019, but it's true it doesn't have the same level of self-immersion and abandon as in the Worlds performance. I almost feel like that is a Nathan I've never seen before 😄
 
Gilligan said:
This is way late but since I haven’t seen anyone here mention it in comments about Nathan’s amazing Worlds FS, can I say that I really like the exit of the spin before the step sequence? The last spin before he enters the meditative middle section--the way it’s paced, especially the way he exits... it really goes well with the music.
Click to expand...

I feel the same way about his spin at JO, which he never performed as well ever since.

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
youtu.be youtu.be

Nathan up for USSA Athlete of the Month
ussa.edu

The United States Sports University

The United States Sports University is an independent, non-profit, accredited university dedicated to preparing students for careers in the field of sports.
ussa.edu ussa.edu
 
bonita said:
New fanzone article
usfigureskatingfanzone.com

With Third World Title Now on His Resume, Nathan Chen Turns Attention and Excitement to World Team Trophy - U.S. Figure Skating

Speaking less than 10 days after his latest monumental win, Nathan Chen couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he knew this one felt different.
usfigureskatingfanzone.com usfigureskatingfanzone.com
Click to expand...

"I'm just going to enjoy myself and hopefully people seeing me enjoy myself will help them enjoy themselves as well."

Aw, that is so precious 🥺😅 especially right after commending Jason for his more outward and expressive personality.
He appears kind of apologetic lately about his more toned down personality, the way he's been acknowledging his more sober demeanour in recent interviews? 🙁
Don't worry Nathan, I'm way more comfortable with your reserved self than with others' bubbly personalities. 😉
 
LutzDance said:
Actually it's mentioned in this beautiful musical analysis of Nathan's FS (it's in Russian but google translate works well enough). The author describes the arrangement of his spins as if a camera zooms into focus, with the exit from the second spin being in absolute unity with the music.


I think we have a glimpse of that at GPF 2019, but it's true it doesn't have the same level of self-immersion and abandon as in the Worlds performance. I almost feel like that is a Nathan I've never seen before 😄
Click to expand...

Thank you for pointing out that amazing piece. It reads well even with google translate. The author says he'll do his own translation, so I'll keep an eye out for that as well.

I'm glad you mentioned it, because I also feel I have not seen this Nathan before. I know it sounds crazy but he looked taller, somehow, and perhaps that reflects the lack of tension in his upper body. Every time I rewatch I notice the freedom and ease! The step sequence was so beautiful. 😍

It will be interesting to see if the new Nathan appears at WTT, for either the SP or the FS... assuming WTT will still be held despite the concerning situation in Osaka. I hope they have set up the team cheering booths with more social distancing than usual, much as I've enjoyed the show of team spirits at previous WTT's. If it's to be canceled I hope they announce it soon, so the skaters won't have to risk air travel for nothing.
 
I wonder what would the author of this Russian essay say if they saw the first version of Nathan’s FS? For me the step sequence is still the most beautifully done in that version. And the music cut too really.
 
shine said:
I wonder what would the author of this Russian essay say if they saw the first version of Nathan’s FS? For me the step sequence is still the most beautifully done in that version. And the music cut too really.
Click to expand...

I also find the ISP1 version to be the most exquisitely musical, especially the step sequence. Out of curiosity I made a side-by-side comparison video of Nathan's steps at ISP1 and Worlds, in which the little things I love about the ISP1 edition really stand out.

Exhibit 1: the sequence of lunge-twizzles-Mohawk at ~10" in the debut version is so cleverly tailored to the music in the debut. I didn't know I could be so impressed by the musical intention of such a simple move as a Mohawk but I was. Whereas in the Worlds version they just let go of the musical opportunity to make place for the right foot cluster 😞

Exhibit 2: The choctaw in the ISP skate at ~18" is also well placed in relation to the music, although I do like the placement of the choctaw in the Worlds edition as well (~21")

Exhibit 3: The one foot glide with a little port de bras at ~22" has to be one of my favorite moments in the entire program. Nathan's extended body lines and phrasing make me feel as if I just took a deep breath. The spread eagle just doesn't quite work the same way :(

Exhibit 4: After his one-foot cluster on the right (~28"), again a simple mohawk works musical wonders in the first version. Kudos to keeping the bracket in the same place though. Such a nice way to respond to the chord.

Exhibit 5: Did anyone notice they changed the one-foot cluster on the left from rocker-counter-bracket to bracket-counter-rocker? I liked the little hold on the bracket in the original version, although the side lunge in the Worlds version is also beautiful (and in a more ostensible way).

Exhibit 6: Maybe one of my favorite changes in the *new* version: the placement of the (second? third?) lunge and the loop. The updated arm movement on that lunge (or what Kurt Browning calls a "back drag") phrases the music well. The entrance of the LFO-loop coincides with the beginning of a musical phrase, and its exit overlays with a chord as well. The port de bras that follows grabs my attention and signals the end of the step sequence, which I appreciate as well.

All this being said, as much as I prefer the musical subtlety of the original version, I suspect they (Shae, Nathan, and whoever else on the team) might feel it's too subtle, and decided to add some more noticeable choreography (such as the side lunge with hand-gazing). Also the old version has higher demand on musical timing, and it won't work if Nathan misses one musical phrase, whereas in the new version the steps look beautiful as long as he performs each move with purpose and intention.
 
shine, your comment made me go back and rewatch ISP 1 and 2. Thank you. :)

It's actually a treat the way each performance highlights some beautiful aspect of Nathan's FS not as noticeable in a different performance, but for me Worlds is still the best. It's the absolute ease with which he achieved those perfect positions during the step sequence for me. No excess tension or intensity, and yet no sense that he's taking it too easy. The upper body carriage and sense of intention in ISP 1 don't quite measure up to Worlds for me. I'm not a purist--I admire his beautiful arms and hands more than his neat and precise footwork, so I prefer Worlds choreography. To me it suits the music just as well.

Thank you, LutzDance, for your detailed analysis. I mostly agree with you. For me the lunge and hand gazing bits were necessary highlights in a program that some deemed too introspective and subtle.
 
They actually changed the second one-foot cluster 3 times throughout the season (compare ISP/SA to US Champs and then Worlds).

I don't know, there's things that I prefer in each version of the FS as a whole but also the step sequence specifically. I wish I could get him to skate my ideal version, which would be quite a mix. 😄

I do mostly prefer the very first version of the step sequence and its clusters, save for a few things such as the later version of how he does his choctaws.

I certainly think that the choreo sequence at Worlds was the first one that was worthy. All the other ones were lacking in intensity and impact. It was the first time the kick had appropriate height and that beautiful stretch in the lines of his legs to not feel like a throwaway element, but to be a highlight on its own.
Sadly I think it's the reason he took out the Lutz kick in his SP 💔 so as not to appear repetitive.

And sometimes you need to sacrifice sth. to get another nice thing. ;)
For instance, they rearranged everything a bit to give him more time for the 4S and spins before the StSq starts, but I way prefer the old 3Lz placement relative to the music. But then I do think that the way he set up the 4S at Worlds matched the music better than before.
And of course I'll never get over the fact, that they changed the very first music edit where the 4T-1Eu-3F was landed so beautifully on the piano chords... but then I much prefer the excitement of the second 4T combo matching the rising intensity of the music in the new edit? 😅🙈
 
I still find the World version of the step sequence mesmerizing - just not as musically sophisticated. To me it has a transcendental quality, endowed by the contrast between its gentle meditation and the aggressiveness of the technical difficulty, and between the calm execution and the pressure inherent in a World Championship free skate. Also I find the added lunges work together like a motif in a piece of music - every time he drops into a lunge it feels like the protagonist is sinking deeper into his dream.
 
I agree that all of the different changes in his programs have their own charms. It's good that he's had so much time to spend with SLB adding new choreographic elements to his toolbox. His EX programs should become a lot more interesting now! ;)
 
Gilligan said:
shine, your comment made me go back and rewatch ISP 1 and 2. Thank you. :)

It's actually a treat the way each performance highlights some beautiful aspect of Nathan's FS not as noticeable in a different performance, but for me Worlds is still the best. It's the absolute ease with which he achieved those perfect positions during the step sequence for me. No excess tension or intensity, and yet no sense that he's taking it too easy. The upper body carriage and sense of intention in ISP 1 don't quite measure up to Worlds for me. I'm not a purist--I admire his beautiful arms and hands more than his neat and precise footwork, so I prefer Worlds choreography. To me it suits the music just as well.

Thank you, LutzDance, for your detailed analysis. I mostly agree with you. For me the lunge and hand gazing bits were necessary highlights in a program that some deemed too introspective and subtle.
Click to expand...
Different strokes for different folks :)
What I also love about ISP1 is the way he totally surrenders himself to the music and the suppleness of his body language shows a sense of vulnerability that we don’t often see from him. He doesn’t do this often but when he does he uses his neck and head in a way where the movement just oozes out from his core in a completely organic way. I don’t know if some may find that to be with less intention, but I personally find it very poetic and reminds me of when Nathan did the runthrough of MLD at Cup of Russia back in 2017 - full of poetic vulnerability and so unlike the usual him we are used to, and so unlike any skater I’ve seen. Also similar to what LutzDance pointed out I found the way he uses very subtle choreographic nuances to interpret not just the notes but the entire phrasing of the music completely on point in this version. Two of my favorite moments are 2:21 and 2:23, where his uses really subtle gestures to mark 1) the false ending of the phrase with a lift of the chin as he brings the lower palm towards the upper palm and 2) subsequently the real ending of the phrase where he does a series of twizzles ending ona three turn where he bends his knee a little more deeply creating a deeper curve on the last turn to conclude the phrase. I literally watched these like 50 times when the video first became available. Unfortunately these two of my most cherished moments were taken out in later versions :( but at least we’ll always have the ISP version to watch over and over.
 
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LutzDance said:
Exhibit 3: The one foot glide with a little port de bras at ~22" has to be one of my favorite moments in the entire program. Nathan's extended body lines and phrasing make me feel as if I just took a deep breath. The spread eagle just doesn't quite work the same way :(
with purpose and intention.
Click to expand...
One of my favorite parts too, makes my heart sing every time.
 
shine said:
Two of my favorite moments are 2:21 and 2:23, where his uses really subtle gestures to mark 1) the false ending of the phrase with a lift of the chin as he brings the lower palm towards the upper palm and 2) subsequently the real ending of the phrase where he does a series of twizzles ending ona three turn where he bends his knee a little more deeply creating a deeper curve on the last turn to conclude the phrase.
Click to expand...
Me too! Especially the arm movements on the twizzle exit. Makes me think of autumn leaves swirling in the wind...
 
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